September 16, 2020 Issue

As students and staff navigate uncertain paths each day amid the ever-changing landscape of the COVID-19 pandemic determination of what is and what isn’t in the best interest of students  - and within Texas Education Agency guidelines - is difficult. LBJHS Principal Russell Maedgen provided parents the basis for the decision of the JCISD Administration to dial down the activities surrounding Homecoming 2020 in an email released last week. “Based on TEA Public Health Guidelines and cu ...

With the continued presence of COVID-19, getting a flu shot is “more important than ever,” according to James Partin, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Hill Country Memorial. “People need to remember there is a significant number of worldwide deaths from influenza every year,” Partin said. “So we have to deal with that on top of COVID-19.

Several instances of damage and theft of candidate political signs have been recently reported. Both the Blanco County Democratic Party and the Blanco County Republican Party condemn any act which interferes with any political campaign. It is a crime to damage or steal political signs from private property and anyone who participates in such an act will be reported to law enforcement. Carlette Lewis, Blanco County Republican Party Chair Terry Casparis, Blanco County Democratic P ...

Several instances of damage and theft of candidate political signs have been recently reported. Both the Blanco County Democratic Party and the Blanco County Republican Party condemn any act which interferes with any political campaign. It is a crime to damage or steal political signs from private property and anyone who participates in such an act will be reported to law enforcement. Carlette Lewis, Blanco County Republican Party Chair Terry Casparis, Blanco County Democratic P ...

By Rachel Lumpee It’s that time of year again! Blanco County will be holding its countywide Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event on Sept. 26, 2020 from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. or until the collection capacity has been met. Bring your hazardous waste to the county drop off location, Blanco County/Waste Connections Transfer Station, at 377 Transfer Road in Johnson City.

Patty Chimene, Craig Van Engelen, Frances Ann Giron and Morgan Drake celebrated a ribbon cutting ceremony at River Place in Johnson City. 7 lots are available, and interested persons can inquire by calling Craig Van Engelen at (512) 800-1138. Courtesy photo.

Cross Country Coach Juaquin Rodriguez was the target of lime-green silly string last Tuesday. Athlete Maura Ibanez is raising money to support Lyme Warriors, a non-profit that assists patients diagnosed with Lyme Disease, which Ibanez has herself. At the $500 dollar mark, the team was challanged to silly string the coach.

Even during a pandemic, it’s best to not mess with Texas.  Texas Department of Transportation officials noticed more personal protective equipment -- face masks, wipes and gloves -- on the side of roads and highways, so they called in the big guns for a new round of “Don’t mess with Texas” commercials.

On September 8, 2020, the Rotary Club of Blanco County was honored to have as their guest speaker Dr. April Samson, the Executive Director of the Selah Bamberger Ranch Preserve. The Preserve, located right here in Blanco County, is one of the best examples of private land preservation and ecological restoration.

AUSTIN– An unknown number of people appear to have been targeted with an email that asks them to validate their profile information with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. TDLR did not send the email, and the agency urges anyone who received it to delete the email without clicking on the link or confirming or providing any personal information. A TDLR licensee alerted the agency to the scam email.

Mother Nature is so full of wonder and really amazing things that most of the time we just take them for granted and don’t give them any real thought. Here are just a few of the many things I marvel at in the natural world around me. In the insect world, there are parasitic wasps as small as 0.025 mm or 0.01 inches, smaller than the period at the end of this sentence.

As students and staff navigate uncertain paths each day amid the ever-changing landscape of the COVID-19 pandemic determination of what is and what isn’t in the best interest of students  - and within Texas Education Agency guidelines - is difficult. LBJHS Principal Russell Maedgen provided parents the basis for the decision of the JCISD Administration to dial down the activities surrounding Homecoming 2020 in an email released last week. “Based on TEA Public Health Guidelines and cu ...

Pushing through an unusual week of rain-hindered practices the LBJHS and LBJMS Runnin’ Eagles Cross Country teams competed well in the Jacob Krebs Invitational Meet last week at Harper. Johnson City came home with the Champion in the High School Girls’ 2 Mile - Lydia White, the Champion in the Junior High Girls’ 2 Mile - Jackie Earley; the High School Girls’ 2 Mile Runner-up – Clare White; and the Junior High Boys’ 2 Mile Runner-Up - Antonio Perez. The meet is held in honor of ...

The Holland Hornets defended their home turf and their #10 ranking in Class 2A-Divison 1 (MaxPreps) with a 41-0 shutout of the visiting Johnson City Eagles on Friday. The Hornets rushed  for 360 yards and held the Eagles to 135 total yards. Asher Price led the way on defense with double digit tackles and Nathan Axtell was the bright spot for the Eagles offense at Wide Receiver.

Coach Heather Wilson and her staff enjoyed the clean sweep the Lady Eagles made of their District 27AA opponents last week earning wins against Harper, Center Point and Junction. The Varsity Lady Eagles made a loud statement in their new District 27AA with 3-0 sweeps of Harper and Center Point.

I would like to address this epistle to those of you who are going back to school with the great pandemic of 2020 still hanging over your heads. I used to work as a substitute teacher at the high school level. When a regular teacher gave an assignment to study for a test or to turn in work the next day, it was invariably a signal to the students to relax, talk to their friends, sneak out their cell phones and generally to do nothing.

Susan Hamm is a friend of mine, and she is a wonderful citizen in our community. However, in her letter to the editor last week she wrote, “...the Stars and Stripes military newspaper ... was canceled by Presidential Order”. This is a false statement. According to an article by National Public Radio, it was the Pentagon that ordered the closure.